Wireless networking activity is booming across Asia. Asia and Europe are
leading the development and deployment of Third Generation (3G) systems.
Foreign telecoms - such as Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson - have been instrumental
in establishing General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) systems in China (Shanghai,
Beijing, Hong Kong) and throughout the region.
Currently, for short-range wireless communications, the 802.11a standard is
only licensed for usage in North America. The
Gerry Blackwell reports in 802.11 planet that "Many Asian airports and telecoms
are currently in the early stages of deploying [802.11b or] Wi-Fi roaming
networks-in some cases with plans to cover whole cities" ("GRIC Seeks to
Rewrite Roaming Equation" http://www.80211-
planet.com/columns/article/0,,1781_880481,00.html ). While 802.11b and 802.11a
were never meant to interoperate, the faster 802.11a may soon be making headway
into Asia. In a CNET Asia's interview, Robert Chu, vice president of 3Com,
South Asia, estimated "802.11a may come onto the market around the middle of
next year (in Asia Pacific). Those solutions and platforms will be out. For
802.11g, you will see some new products around the end of 2002 and beginning
2003 (in Asia Pacific). ("3Com: Auto-sensing the wireless landscape"
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitallife/mobile/features/story/0,3800001558,3900
2486,00.htm ). (Note: 802.11i is a secure version of the 802.11b standard but
has not yet been ratified by IEEE).
Most of the Asian activity in wireless networking is through foreign investment
or alliances. So far, such activity has focused on setting up infrastructure
solutions, marketing wireless devices and addressing broadband roaming needs of
business travelers in Asia more than home solutions. The region has attracted
investment from leading vendors such as:
- Qualcomm and Motorola, who have already signed agreements with mainland
Chinese manufacturers to produce network equipment and handsets.
- MobileStar Network ( http://www.mobilestar.com/ ) (802.11b & HomeRF
solutions) was building a network of Wi-Fi (802.11b) access points in
airports, hotels, and restaurants. It focused on direct sales to business users
rather than partnering with wireline ISPs. The company recently filed for
bankruptcy but other companies are continuing along similar efforts.
- iPass (Redwood Shores CA.) offers personal firewall software, seamless VPN
integration in Asia/Pacific. According to online news articles (
http://www.allnetdevices.com/ ) "Most of iPass' 15,000 or so POPs in 150
countries around the world are still dial-up only, but the company has 70
broadband POPs, mostly in Asia, mostly Wi-Fi, which it began to make available
in September."
- GRIC Communications Inc. ( http://www.gric.com/ ), a provider of Internet-
based mobile office communications services, is developing a Wi-Fi-based
broadband wireless network. Asia is GRIC's main focus for Wi-Fi right now.
According to online news articles ( http://www.allnetdevices.com/ ) "The
broadband wireless network is now available to any service provider member of
the GRIC Alliance that wishes to offer expanded wireless Internet roaming
capabilities to its customers. Further strengthening GRIC's coverage in Asia,
China Netcom has added its wireless hotspots to the GRIC Alliance. The GRIC
Alliance represents the world's largest remote access network, the company
says. It includes more than 300 service providers and telecommunications
companies in more than 150 countries. [...] Partnering with ISPs is a much
more mainstream part of the strategy, but the company’s broadband program is
mainly focused on providing POPs in Asia."
- Wi-LAN, Inc., a Canadian-based provider of WLAN technology and products, made
headlines July 2001 with the Wi-LAN AWE 120-58 is a 12 Mbps wireless Ethernet
bridge for use in China in the 5.8 MHz ISM frequency band by the State
Regulatory Radio Commission (SRRC). The SRRC regulates spectrum allocation
licensing in China.
- Nokia, Motorola, Ericsson, Nortel, Qualcomm and Alcatel, some of who are
active in developing WLAN solutions using Frequency Hopping 802.11b, HyperLAN2
- Compaq, IBM, and Lucent, to provide data center and Internet backbone
capacity
- Germany-based Siemens, who, with Shanghai Mobile Communications Ltd., will
implement WAP-Gateway systems using Openwave's technology in Shanghai and
Guangzhou.
- Intel, active in 802.11b solutions, who has formed the Intel Wireless
Competence Center in Beijing to promote wireless Internet technology throughout
China. The center will provide a venue for Chinese companies to develop
technologies enabling new content and services for broadband Internet. Intel
plans to work with local cellular phone companies and standards bodies to
develop new wireless technologies.
- From within Asia, NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile phone company, has been
actively investing in other parts of the region, such as setting up a Chinese
language-based i-mode -like cell phone services in Taiwan and China.
Many factors impede the widespread adoption of wireless communication,
including 802.11, throughout the masses and in Asian homes: limited demand,
relative lack of equipment, affordability due to low per-capita disposable
income, less mature wireless network and low Internet penetration. In addition,
802.11b has been criticized for its security issues, important to both
enterprises and to the Chinese government.
Jeffrey Stockton's excellent online article, "Can the Wireless Net Succeed in
China?" (
http://www.allnetdevices.com/wireless/opinions/2001/07/11/can_the.html )
explains the current Chinese socioeconomic and technological
infrastructure. "Less than five percent of the population has a phone line and
two percent of the population has Internet access, Internet-ready phones are
seen to have potential because they economically combine both voice and data.
Getting a landline installed in China can be more expensive than buying a cell
phone, and usually takes weeks.
[...]
"Likewise, accessing the Internet at home is also complex, time consuming and
expensive, first requiring a PC that costs at least three times the price of an
Internet-ready mobile phone, plus a phone line for the modem connection, and
finally an Internet service provider. " This may be further impeded by the
absence of widespread credit card use.
But he goes on to mention the potential growth of wireless technology in the
region. "With 1.25 billion people, and a economy growing by approximately eight
percent a year, China’s wireless telecommunications market is becoming one of
the largest in the world. Currently there are approximately 100 million mobile
phone subscribers, serviced by either China Mobile Communications Corp. (CMCC)
or China United Telecommunications Corp. (Unicom). CM currently controls 78
percent of market, while Unicom, established in 1993, has captured a 22 percent
share, and continues to chip away at CMCC's market advantage. CMCC currently
operates a GSM network, while Unicom operates both GSM and CDMA networks. GSM
(global system for mobile communications) and CDMA (code division multiple
access) are second-generation wireless technologies that are designed to
deliver primarily voice communication. "
Mr. Stockton also encourages "As demonstrated in Japan, low Internet
penetration rates can actually help boost wireless Internet use. Millions of
Japanese got their first glimpse of the Internet through their NTT DoCoMo’s i-
mode phone. Japan's popular i-mode service has been driven to mass-adoption by
its entertainment-oriented content and applications that appeal to a broader
audience."
In 2001, China passed Japan as the world's second largest wireless telephone
market, according market research firm Strategies Unlimited, and is expected to
bypass the US in another year, especially with its entry into the World Trade
Organization (WTO).
Foreign entry into any arena in the Chinese market is known to be difficult due
to that country's extensive regulations and restrictions. Telecoms regulations
are expected to loosen with the country's official entry into the WTO. Specific
regulations are not widely available (especially in this particular context).
You can, however, read general guidelines and progress on the sites:
* A list of links regarding Foreign Investment in China Information Technology
http://www.geocities.com/investment_china_internet/
* Telecom China - China Telecom WTO and Policy Forum
http://www.chinatelecomconference.com/
China wireless data services are used primarily for financial purposes. The
three most popular wireless applications globally are banking, messaging and
general Web access.
* A chart of leading mobile applications (2000 - 2005) can be found at
http://www.allnetdevices.com/wireless/opinions/2001/01/10/the_wireless.html
* A graph of growth of China's mobile users (1994-1999) is available on China
Online:
http://www.chinaonline.com/commentary_analysis/internet/currentnews/secure/c0004
18wap-ss.asp
* China Internet Statistics and other interesting news about technology in
China are available on Virtual China Web site
http://www.virtualchina.com/
Several online magazine specializing in wireless technology (such as
http://www.allnetdevices.com/, http://www.wirelessnewsfactor.com ) mention some
other interesting facts relating to developments in Asia
* SINGAPORE, a popular foreign base for high tech manufacturing, has been
making aggressive moves to become the Asian leader in technology. (see
http://www.s-one.gov.sg/media_rm/press/p_rtcl14.html for more information about
the Singaporean National Computer Board's "Intelligent Island" initiative)
* Wireless Internet access has so far failed to catch on in TAIWAN, where there
are fewer than 100,000 WAP users. WAP is widely perceived as slow and
expensive. This may change with the growth in popularity of GPRS systems.
* HONG KONG residents lead the world in the amount of time spent surfing the
Web. JAPAN is third.
* The PHILIPPINES is the world's number one SMS market because sending a short
message is much cheaper than calling direct.
For more information, see these Web sites:
Global Sources - January 14, 2002 Key Issues/Exclusive Interview (mainland
China), "
Security, high cost remain key issues in WLAN"
http://www.globalsources.com/MAGAZINE/CP/0201/CPISSU.HTM
Asia and Europe will lead the way to 2.5G and 3G adoption.
Top 10 2.5G and 3G Subscriber Markets, 2006
http://devices.internet.com/marketdata/9912203g.htm
An interesting article on 802.11 security appears on the following Web site:
Security spec cracked
http://www.computerworld.com.sg/pcwsg.nsf/unidlookup/E8492584584CB85B48256B6E002
16A76?OpenDocument
"A University of Maryland professor and his graduate student have apparently
uncovered serious weaknesses in the next-generation Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)
security protocol known as 802.1x..."
Google Releases i-mode Search (Japan, March 01, 2001)
http://www.allnetdevices.com/wireless/news/2001/03/01/google_releases.html
Asia Specific links:
Asia One - Asia's News Business and Lifestyle Channel
http://wireless.asiaone.com/
Wireless links:
Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF)
http://www.wireless-world-research.org/
The Wireless FAQ
http://allnetdevices.com/faq/
802.11 planet (online magazine)
http://www.80211-planet.com/
Moving Forward with 802.11a
http://www.networkmagazineindia.com/200201/focus3.htm
802.11 Alphabet Soup: What’s ‘g’ got that ‘b’ and ‘a’ don’t?
http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20020211/technology2.shtml
Wireless Newsfactor (online magazine)
http://www.wirelessnewsfactor.com/
O'reilly wireless (online magazine)
http://www.oreillynet.com/wireless/
You can download reports from China Online's eBookstore
http://estore.chinaonline.com/
China and the Cellular Revolution, 2000-2002 (January 2001)
US$2,975.00
http://estore.chinaonline.com/chinandcelre.html
How to Invest in China's Broadband Wireless Industry
US$100.00
http://estore.chinaonline.com/imforstarini.html |
